The Spartan Shield

The Truth About Purebred Dogs

Purebred dogs are great, especially if you’re looking for a dog to perform a specific job (hunting, sled pulling, guarding, etc. ) or are looking for a specific set of traits (personality, activity level, how much they shed, etc.). But if you’re looking for a purebred or designer breed dog just because you think they’re cute, you might want to consider another option.

There is a big difference in a task-oriented breed and dogs bred for looks. While task-oriented dogs are bred for traits that make them better at their jobs, other dogs, like the English Bulldog, are bred for their characteristic looks. Many dogs bred for appearances suffer from health problems. For example, the Shar Pei, a dog bred for it’s excessively wrinkled skin, gets frequent skin infections caused by bacteria getting into the wrinkles. Another example, according to the website Breeding Business, is the English Bulldog, whose large head and flat nose ensure breathing problems and that 86.1% of births have to be done by c-section.

A rising trend in the dog world is the designer breed. Designer breeds are a mix between two purebreds; think Labradoodle and Teddy Bear dogs. While some of these breeds have been around for a while now, more and more are popping up. At this point breeders are just mixing breeds to create something cute without thinking about the health problems these animals may have down the road.

Christine is a junior at East and a first year member of The Spartan Shield. She is also a member of HOSA, NHS, SGA, and the track team. Christine enjoys...

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